Diving the Spice Islands: Three Shops, Two Islands, One Unforgettable Trip

As a marine science communicator and an avid diver for 14 years, I was so excited when my partner completed his open water certification this year. We decided to celebrate with our first international dive trip together. We chose Grenada and its smaller Carriacou island—two sites that perfectly balance his beginner needs with the challenges I crave as an advanced diver.

We like to avoid crowds and pack as much adventure as possible into a trip. Grenada delivers: spectacular wrecks and reefs, lush mountains, waterfalls and postcard-perfect beaches. Instead of staying in one spot, we rent a car and split our nine nights between Carriacou and L’Anse aux Épines and BBC Beach on the main island of Grenada. That way, we can explore both islands fully while diving with three distinct PADI Five Star Dive Centers, each offering its own take on the Spice Islands’ underwater world.

Scuba West Indies in L’Anse aux Épines: A Personalized Experience of Wrecks and Reefs

A boutique, women-owned dive shop with a fresh new energy, Scuba West Indies sets the tone for Grenada diving with small groups, personalized instruction and easy access to both Atlantic and Caribbean sites. Julie Garnier and Jane Taylor, who purchased the shop in 2023, intentionally keep the experience intimate—no more than 10 people onboard (including crew), with each buddy team paired to its own instructor or divemaster. The result is a safety-forward yet relaxed atmosphere where conservation is woven into every dive briefing.

Dive Highlights

Our day starts off with a beautiful sunrise and morning coffee on the balcony of Secret Harbour Marina. Since we stayed so close to the dive shop, Julie picked us up right from the car park. The crew makes everything so easy for us by loading our gear onto the boat, and on the way to our dive sites, we learn about how the underwater seascape on the Atlantic side of the island differs from that of the Caribbean side.

“There’s a different biodiversity there,” Garnier says. This is largely due to the fact that the eastern, Atlantic-facing reefs are shaped by constant wave action from the prevailing trade winds. This results in shelf areas with more hardbottom and reef flats.

“On the Atlantic side, we like to take people to Shark Reef and Snapper Ground,” Garnier says. Both of these reefs are great places to see turtles, spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks and more. It was their captain, Jamil Bridgeman, who introduced them to some of the Atlantic sites they love to visit. Bridgeman, a true Grenadian, grew up with a fisherman father and brings his local knowledge to the team.

Due to windy conditions, we head for shelter on the Caribbean side, visiting two incredible dive sites that are on my Grenada bucket list and do not disappoint.

Veronica L Wreck

The 131-foot cargo freighter Veronica L is one of Grenada’s most famous wreck dives. Intentionally sunk in the 1990s to create an artificial reef, it now rests upright on the seafloor, its decks and hull alive with marine life. As the bow of this photogenic wreck appears, I find myself instantly surrounded by schools of creole wrasse and chromis. Trumpetfish, juvenile drumfish and arrow crabs peek out among colorful sponges, making the site a vibrant first dive in Grenada.

Purple Rain

Aptly named for its cascading schools of purple-hued creole wrasse, Purple Rain is dotted with soft corals and azure vase sponges (Callyspongia plicifera), which are also purple. Here, I’m treated to a rare daytime encounter with a Brazilian reef octopus (Octopus insularis). My friend Dr. Chelsea Bennice, a cephalopod expert, confirms later that this region presents a suitable habitat within part of the species’ recently expanded range. Watching it forage while two fish shadow it for scraps is a highlight of the trip.

Related Reading: Five Great Shipwrecks to Explore in Grenada

After the Dives

Back on shore, the post-dive ritual at Scuba West Indies is as laid-back as the dives themselves. Gear dries in the sun while divers walk a few steps to The Sandbar for lime daiquiris and fresh dishes like blackened grouper with spiced rice. Our evening back at the Secret Harbour Marina apartment is filled with starry night skies out on the balcony as I edit my photos and we rest up for our next day’s adventure to hike Seven Sisters Waterfalls and relax at Bathway Beach.

Deefer Diving: Sisters Rocks and Carriacou’s Laid-Back Vibe

After a smooth, 20-minute flight from Grenada, we touch down on Carriacou—an island so relaxed it makes even Grenada feel busy. As Deefer Diving’s owner Gary Ward puts it, “Americans and folks from the UK come to Grenada to relax. Carriacou is where Grenadians come to relax.”

That easygoing rhythm shapes the diving, too. Deefer is a boutique-style shop, typically keeping boats to no more than 12 divers with four crew. Instead of a cookie-cutter schedule, they customize the experience each day.

“We like to talk to people first and find out what kind of experience they’re looking for,” Ward says. “If you’re into macro photography, we might pair you with a staff member who will take you on a completely different dive profile to find the best subjects. We’re in no rush—we want people to enjoy their day.”

With over 30 dive sites, little Carriacou has a lot to offer. The best part? Most dive sites are just a 10–15 minute boat ride away. Deefer Diving also offers conservation diving experiences with Caribbean Reef Buddy, for those interested in giving back to the ocean during their travels.

Dive Highlights

Our adventure that day takes us toward Ronde Island, where the underwater drama owes much to Kick ’em Jenny, the only known active submarine volcano in the Eastern Caribbean. Just east of the volcano, two towering rock formations, known as Sisters Rocks, break the surface like sentinels, hinting at the volcanic forces that shape the seascape below.

Sisters Rocks

The jagged volcanic sea stacks jut from the water as seabirds circle overhead and waves slap against their base—it feels like being transported into a living painting. We are aiming to dive a site called Deep Blue, but when our divemaster Andrew checks the current, it’s cranking too hard, so we shift to nearby Barracuda Point instead.

The decision pays off. As soon as we get down to 45 feet and see the dramatic wall in front of us, a squadron of spotted eagle rays glides past, their fins catching the light before I even have time to adjust my camera. While this sweeping coral garden still shows scars from Hurricane Beryl (2024), it’s alive with surprises: a nurse shark tucked under a ledge, lobsters waving their antennae from under the rocks, and porcupinefish swimming by, giving us both a smile and the side-eye.

Jack-a-Dan: A World Adrift

Carriacou’s newest underwater sculpture park, A World Adrift, lies at Jack-a-Dan. Thirty origami-inspired boats, each helmed by a child’s likeness, symbolize the fragility of island ecosystems and the uncertain future of small island nations. Built from marine-grade stainless steel and pH-neutral cement, the sculptures double as artificial reefs, creating habitat for marine life.

A World Adrift blends art, habitat and restoration into one dive. It’s also a shallow site, which means long bottom times. After exploring the sculptures, we meander through the surrounding reef in search of eels, crabs and Pederson cleaner shrimp. Deefer Diving is using the area as a nursery to help restore reefs damaged by Hurricane Beryl, planting coral fragments in bottles and attaching sponges and soft corals to the sculptures in hopes they’ll take hold. Advanced divers can help with these efforts from May to September through Caribbean Reef Buddy.

Related Reading: Scuba Diving Artist Jason deCaires Taylor is Transforming Coral Reefs Around the World

On Shore

Our base in Carriacou is the Mermaid Beach Hotel, a beachfront boutique hotel run by a local named Leo. Like much of the island, it’s still recovering from Beryl’s devastation, but the warmth of the welcome and the incredible views make up for any missing amenities. Over the next few years, travelers should bring patience and curiosity—your visit directly supports the rebuilding effort on the island.

On our walk over to Deefer Diving, we fuel up at Laurena’s, a cozy spot for morning coffee and coconut bakes—or a cold post-dive beer and homemade lunch with locals.

One of my favorite memories comes after a short taxi ride over to Paradise Beach. We take a spur-of-the-moment boat ride to Sandy Island to freedive. The waters are crystal clear, and after swimming out to the north end, we find large coral heads with stunning schools of yellowtail snapper. The boat picks us up to return to Paradise Beach Club, and while the sky burns orange, we sip on painkillers followed by an outstanding dinner. The day captures the essence of Carriacou—unhurried, personal and unforgettable.

Eco Dive: Community and Grand Anse Energy

If Scuba West Indies felt intimate and Carriacou was all about laid-back charm, Eco Dive is Grenada’s version of Cheers—a place where everyone seems to know each other, and you can’t help but feel like part of the family. The crew exudes warmth and camaraderie, but what stands out just as much is their commitment to marine conservation, from reef monitoring projects to sustainable dive practices.

Our guide is Hansel, who transitioned from boat captain to scuba instructor just a year ago. “It’s so rewarding to see people go from being scared to dive to falling in love with the ocean,” he tells us. That spirit carries through the entire day of diving.

By the end of the day, we log three spectacular dives and leave with new friends.

Dive Highlights

Kahonee Reef

We kick things off with a relaxed drift along Kahonee Reef, hovering at about 46 feet. The soft corals are lush and colorful, and the reef reveals treasures big and small—a loggerhead sea turtle gliding past, flamingo tongue snails munching on purple sea fans and a few goldspotted eels tucked among the corals.

Tyrell Bay Wreck and Boss Reef

Our second dive combines history and reefscape in one seamless profile. On the sandy approach, Hansel points out two brilliantly colored headshield slugs mid-mating dance. Tyrell Bay is a Grenadian coast guard cutter that was intentionally sunk in 2018 with the engines and doors removed. This wreck, resting in 70 feet of water, offers a striking open-interior swim-through from the captain’s quarters through the hold and about the bridge. Upon exiting, the largest trumpetfish I’ve ever seen is waiting for me.

From the wreck, we gradually ascend into Boss Reef, which delivers even more color and texture. My personal highlight is spotting a solitary mushroom coral (Scolymia cubensis) at about 60 feet. Normally found at deeper fore reef slopes up to 131 feet, this 3-inch beauty is tucked into a shaded overhang—a rare find in shallower sunlit water.

Underwater Sculpture Garden

No Eco Dive trip is complete without a visit to the famous sculpture park in the Molinière-Beauséjour Marine Protected Area—an evolving fusion of art and artificial reef. While the reef still bears scars from Hurricane Ivan (2004), the sculptures provide habitat for fish and coral alike. My favorites: The Lost Correspondent, Coral Carnival and, of course, the Christ of the Abyss. As if that weren’t enough, I even have a second encounter with a Brazilian reef octopus here!

Surface Intervals

Eco Dive’s beachfront location makes surface intervals a breeze. Just steps away is Umbrellas Beach Bar, perfect for a Ting soda and a quick bite between dives. After the afternoon dives, we return for dinner and sundowners while the sky blazes pink over Grand Anse Beach. Back at our accommodation—The Grenada Love Shack on BBC Beach—we enjoy a quieter stretch of sand but can still dip into the area’s vibrant nightlife and restaurants like La Plywood and Sur La Mer.

The Spirit of the Spice Islands

Diving with three shops across two islands shows me more than just reefs, wrecks and marine life—it reveals the distinct personalities and cultures that make Grenada and Carriacou so special. Each dive center offers its own rhythm, from personalized wreck dives to unhurried island drifts to conservation-focused shore dives. Together, they paint a portrait of the Spice Islands that is as much about community as it is about the sea. For divers willing to slow down and island-hop, it’s a trip that lingers long after the last tank is empty.

Other Must-See Dive Sites in Grenada and Carriacou

In addition to the dive sites mentioned in this article, local dive pro, conservationist and photographer Keone Drew shares a few more of his favorite dive sites throughout Grenada:

1. Flamingo Bay Reef

2. Whibbles Reef

3. MV Shake’m Shipwreck

4. MV Bianca C. ('The Titanic of the Caribbean') Shipwreck